Rose Garden
by canibecandid
Summary: "I knew I should have done something about him!" "What do you mean 'do something about him' He's my best friend!" -Natella one-shot


Okay, here's a little Natella fluff. As always, I don't own CR. Please read and review.

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><p>Date: February 13, 2011<br>Time: 4:18 pm  
>Place: Vancouver, Canada<br>Current Mood: Rhymes with Witchy

"_It's raining and snowing, my heart it is glowing for you…"_ Nate's ring tone blurred out of my phone into the crowded airport, and for once, I wasn't tempted to answer. I just let it sing away in my bag, pushing my sunglasses up the small bridge of my nose. To everyone on the team, I am a stoic picture of resolution and will power. To bad that I know that there's a girl looking for the light switch that she jammed off.

_You don't want to be with him, you know that._

What the hell does he know? He can't make up my mind; I can't even make up my mind. I'm _not_ him, I'm not _with_ him, and I_ can't_ be with him.

I can feel myself growing more irritated as I looked around the baggage claim area, feeling singled out even though that was completely ridiculous. Why is it that when you're having relationship issues, you notice every person who's in a happy relationship? It's even more sickening when it's your boss and your friend, because you can't even say anything about it.

_I will always want to make you happy, he doesn't._

I feel my throat tighten, the dizzy haze coming quickly behind that, and like any trained asthmatic, I shake and take in as much as I can. Jean looks over at me for a minute, her smile breaking for just a second, but she turns back to Lucas and all is well again.

I feel the tightness again, but I know that this time, it's not because of asthma.

* * *

><p>Date: February 14, 2011 (Valentine's daySingle's awareness)  
>Time: 5: 29 am<br>Place: Hotel Lobby  
>Current Mood: Hopelessly addicted to Chocolate Muffins<p>

I was trapped, hopelessly and completely trapped with a plate of chocolate muffins just out of my reach. "Stupid mother 'effing meetings for the stupid mother 'effing photo shoot." I muttered darkly instead of doing what I really wanted; and that was to scream for the damn muffins to be passed to me.

Much to Lucas's distress, I was beginning to be more irritable than I had been the night before.

"Ella, are you even listening?" Jean said giving me an amused smirk while lifting a black eyebrow. "Do I get in trouble if I say no?" I asked, propping up my head.

"No, no you don't. Have a muffin." Jean laughed handing me the plate and a glass of chocolate milk I had failed to notice earlier. "Jean! You're going to reward this behavior?" Cynthia whined gesturing to me, Lucas on the other hand just gave her the glare of death.

"What behavior? She hasn't done anything that deserves punishment Cynthia. She's the reason we got this opportunity, she's just sleep deprived." Lucas snapped in my defense, I smiled and continued with my breakfast.

I really did try to listen to the meeting, but I couldn't focus, so I did what I do best… my make-up.

Jean smiled as I hummed the Barbie song and broke out my miss-matched artillery, for the time being I was a mostly functioning make-up machine.

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><p>Date: February 14, 2011 (Valentine's daySingle's awareness)  
>Time: 7:45 AM<br>Place: Some frozen lake with no heating  
>Current Mood: Wishing to feel my toes again<p>

I watch the models shrug into the large parkas that they got to wear over their respective bikinis, not envious at all that fashion directors thought it would be a fabulous idea to shoot the summer collection in a winter location. The photos would be beautiful, there was no doubt about that, and it would be nice to parallel that to the upcoming fall and winter collections and have that shoot in a tropical place.

_If only it was that easy._

I looked down at my own jacket, only to realize that it was one of Nate's old flannels that he left at my house. I inspected the thing, looking for a reason to ignore him. But nothing was found. Instead I found a large green stain on a white parka.I frowned glaring at the offending stain before getting my remover set out and starting to work.

* * *

><p>Date: February 14, 2011 (Valentine's daySingle's awareness)  
>Time: 10:15 PM<br>Place: Car  
>Mood: The seats have heaters! :D<p>

The photo shoot is kind of a blur. So is the team meeting… and the design critiques. All because of one thing, Nate Grey called to wish me a "Wonderful _Single's_ Awareness Day" before my own boyfriend. I just don't remember anything after that phone call, I'm not even sure I ate lunch. I must have done a good job because we're going out to celebrate and no one has said anything catty about anyone else's performance. As a collective unit we decide that what we're wearing is not good enough, so we are heading back to the hotel and change… and I will check my phone for the billionth and third time to see if Chris has texted me for Valentine's day.

_I will always want to make you happy, he doesn't._ Nate's words make my spine tingle with… with… with something.

When we made it to the hotel, I stopped by the front desk to ask if I had any messages. "No, but you did have a delivery. We sent it up to your room, ma'am." The desk clerk smiled with a secretive look that made me giddy to reach my room.

_Maybe Chris hasn't forgotten Valentine's day after all!_ I flung the door open to reveal huge arrangements of flowers, specifically, oriental lilies. I laughed in merriment and smelled the light spring aroma. On the bed there was a pink sequined heart that was probably full of chocolates. I opened the lid and bit into one, and almost had an orgasm. Crème Brule chocolates didn't normally come in a box and only came from a few shops around the US. I grinned and opened the card. _I'm thinking of you. – NG_

The sweet taste of the chocolate turned bitter and I didn't feel quite up to partying anymore. _Just call him you big chicken! What's the worst that can happen?_ I knew the answer, but I didn't like it, _He forgot_.

"This is C and G law firm. This is Christopher Church speaking." He answers in a polite voice that just grates my nerves.

"Hey babe! Happy Valentine's day, sorry I haven't been able to call you. I just got done with my shoot." I spoke in a falsely chipper voice as I sat on my suit case, which was the one place that wasn't drowning in lilies.

"Um uh, hey Ella! I haven't heard from you since you left for Vermont. You know this is my work line, right sweet heart? Or did you forget?" He was chiding me and calling me an idiot in one line. _Why am I dating you?_ I just wondered to myself as I picked at my nails.

"I'm not in Vermont. I'm in Canada, and yes, I know that this is your work line. Tell me that you would have picked up your cellphone once you saw it was me." I snipped, I knew I was being snippy. Hell, I just spent the entire day being showered with gifts by a guy that was my best friend, while receiving nothing from my boyfriend.

"Babe, I work a lot. Is that a problem? And what do you mean it's Valentine 's Day? It's not Valen-" his sentence stops abruptly and I hear a distinct feminine voice in the background.

"Oh, Ella, I'm sorry- it's just that… I've been…" He can't seem to finish his sentence, I did it for him.

"You forgot Chris."

"You've been busy too; it takes two to make a relationship." He argued.

"Well, I guess we don't need to have a relationship then." I spoke softly into the phone, rubbing my temples. He's quite for a minute, prepping an argument.

"It's Nate isn't it? God, I knew I should have done something about that!" He mutters darkly. I feel myself snap.

"What do you mean you should have _done something about that_? He's my best friend"

"He doesn't see it that way, I can assure you."

"Yeah, well I'm starting to get the picture."

One click and seven missed calls later I, Ella Pador, was celebrating Single's Day Awareness.

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><p>Date: February 15, 2011<br>Time: 11:45 am  
>Place: John Wayne Airport Baggage Claim<br>Current Mood: Booty-hurt

You know that look that you get on your face when on your butt and it hurts too much to stand up but it also hurts to sit anymore? That's being booty hurt. And that's how I feel. Because Nate hasn't had the decency to call, text, or even tweet me since last night, and I'm booty-hurt about that. But whatever, no big deal. It's not like he inadvertently destroyed my relationship or anything. I'm so angry that I'm close to tears. I can't even function properly. I just want to kiss him and then beat him with my purse. So much for that idea.

I stand near the carousel and watch the luggage pass by one by-freaking-one, not one of them being mine!

"Did you ever think that someone could have accidently picked up your bag?"

I'd know that voice from anywhere.

"Nate, if you know what's good for you, you should put that bag back on the ground and just walk away. I'm angry, hurt, and I just want to go home." I'm glad that I'm still wearing my sunglasses at the moment, but my voice betrays my tears.

"Ells, are you okay?" His grin fades and he steps towards me, but I step back.

"I'll be fine when you leave."

One heart breaking "good bye" and a car ride home I, Ella Pador, was still celebrating Single's Day.

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><p>Date: April 30, 2011 (Ella Pador's Birthday)<br>Time: 5:35pm  
>Place: SynthBeats design department<br>Current Mood: Loved

Nate left me twenty dozen roses in my office for my birthday. In every color, he even went as far as to leave a note on each one. My office phone shut straight to voice mail and I listened as I heard Nate's voice float through the speakers.

"Roses are red, violets are blue. Are you still angry? Because I miss you. Happy Birthday Ells, call me if you get this.'

I want to run over to the phone but Jean comes into my office first.

"uh-uh girly! He told me to make sure you read every one of those cards before you even thought about calling him back. He also told me to give you this."

She handed me a thin white envelope, which I gladly tore open.

_Ella,_

_Happy birthday. I know I should have done this earlier, but I got you roses. I also got one of those charts to help you understand what each rose means. I know white is for purity, but I'm using it to mark when I met you._

_-NG_

True to his word, the first 12 bouquets of flowers were white. They said things like "Year 5, your first year of school" or "year 3, you lost your first tooth."

Number 13 was yellow… with one purple rose.

_Ella,_

_When you were thirteen, we met. Yellow is for friendship. I didn't know it yet, but I had met one of the best people I could ever ask for._

_-NG_

"What's up with the purple rose though, Nate?"

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><p>Years 14-16 were just solid yellow bouquets. Each with their own sappy note.<p>

Year 17 through me a loop by being dotted with red roses.

_Ella,_

_When you walked down the stairs for me to take you to your spring formal, my heart almost slammed out of my ribcage. I realized for the second time in my life that I loved you._

_-NG_

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><p>Year 18 was mostly red flecked with yellow, but a blue and a black rose were placed right next to each other in the middle.<p>

_Ella,_

_Most people think that black roses are for death, but in this case it's for protest. When you graduated from your high school I was worried that you'd leave me behind and forget me, along with everyone else. But I wanted to support your dreams for college, and that's what a blue rose means- support._

_-NG_

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><p>Year 19 was almost completely red only three lone yellow flowers stood in the bunch.<p>

_Ella,_

_I was so proud when you graduated early from the art institute. It was nearly the death of me though. You stopped talking to everyone, just so you could get through school faster and that nearly broke me. But when the record label offered you that job, I knew that you'd be closer to me every day, and every day I found something new to love about you._

_-NG_

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><p>Twenty, the last and final bouquet was a mix of red and dark red with only one yellow rose smack dab in the middle.<p>

_Ella Pador,_

_If you're reading this, you might have figured out that I love you and have since we were 13. (That's what the purple rose is, love at first sight) It just took me a little longer to figure it out. The dark red is for unconscious beauty, because you really have no idea how beautiful you really are. I was so worried when you started dating Chris. He was everything you hated and I felt like you were settling. I know it was wrong to mess up your relationship, but what are friends for? I may love you, but friendship is what started this._

_Love,_

_Nate Grey_

_PS- I'm about to pull my hair out because Jason won't let me call you first! Please talk to me. I miss you._

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><p>Date: April 30, 2011 (Ella Pador's Birthday)<br>Time: 6:00pm  
>Place: Nate Grey's Apartment<br>Current Mood: Crafty, devious, but mostly loved.

He loves me. It took him seven years, a horrible boyfriend, and several flowers to say it but he loves me. Now I'm breaking into his apartment to tell him one very important thing.

I love him too.


End file.
